Propelling device for vehicles.



PATENTED OUT. 27,- 1903.1 J. P. LANGE. PROPELLING DEVICE FOR VBHIGLESiAPPLICATION FILED MAY 14, 1903.

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@ PATENTED OCT. 27, 1903.

J; P. LANGE. I PROPELLING DEVICE FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION-FILED MAY 14, 1903.

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Ntrn STATES Iatentecl October 2'7, 1903.

PATENT FFICE.

PROPELLING DEVICE FOR VEH|CLES.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 742,683, dated October27, 1903. Application filed May 14,1903. Serial No. 157,085. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J iiRoEN PETER LANGE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Passaic, in the county of Passaic and State ofNew Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Propelling Device forVehicles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

The object of the invention is to providea new and improved propellingdevice for vehicles which is simple and durable in construction,veryefiective in operation, and arranged for convenient and quick attachmentto an ordinary road-wagon, buggy, or like vehicle, the propellingmachinery being separated and spaced from the vehicle for convenientaccess to the workingparts.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations ofthe same, as will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointedout in the claims.

Apractical embodiment of the invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improvement, the axle being shown insection on the line 1 l of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.Fig. 8is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 4. is a sectional sideelevation of the driven wheel, the main frame, and the auxiliary framein which the driven wheel is journaled; and Fig. 5 is a plan view of theimprovement arranged as a tricycle, the motor and gearing being omitted.

The front axle A of a road-vehicle A, such as a buggy or the like, iscoupled by a suitable thill-coupling B to the cross-bar O of the mainframe 0, carrying at its front end a vertically-disposed pivot 0 onwhich is mounted to turn the vertical member D of an auxiliary frame D,supporting one or more motors E, having their common main shaft Econnected by differential or other gears F with the shaft G of a drivenwheel G, journaled in suitable bearings carried by the auxiliary frameD.

On the upright member D of the auxiliary frame D is pivoted a sleeve H,in which is mounted to turn a steering-bar II, extending rearward to thevehicle A to be within conthe dynainos of the venient reach of theoperator seated in the vehicle A to enable the operator to move thesteering-bar sidewise for conveniently turning the auxiliary frame D onits pivot C for steering the propelling device in the desired direction.

The differential gear F is provided with a high-speed gear and alow-speed gear, having clutches F F for connecting either of the saidhigh or low speed gears with the shaft G of the drive-wheel G. For thispurpose the clutches F F are engaged by shifting levers F F, fulcruinedat F on the auxiliary frame D and connected at their upper ends by linksF F with an arm H on the forward end of the steering-bar H, so that whenthe latter is turned in its sleeve H then the arm H by the links F Fimparts a swinging motion to the shifting levers F F, so that one clutchis moved out of action and the other into action-that is, the high-speedor the low-speed gear is connectedowith the shaft G to rotate thedrive-wheel G at the desired speed. r

The detail construction of the high and low speed gears and the clutchesmay be of any approved construction, so that further detaileddescription thereof is not deemed necessary.

The starting and stopping of the motors E is accomplished by a suitableswitch mechanism I, arranged on the frame 0, adjacent to the vehicleA tobe within convenient reach of the occupant of the vehicle, the saidswitch mechanism controlling the electric sparking plug of the motor ifan explosion-engine is used, or in case a storage battery is employedthe switch mechanism controls the current to motor or motors. The brakemechanism is also under the control of the occupant of the vehicle A,and for this purpose the handle end of the steering-barH is providedwith a slide J, connected with one end of a band or cord J, extendingover pul leys J on the auxiliary frame D to connect with one end of abrake-lever J fulcrumed on the auxiliary frame D.

brake-band J 4 are connected with the brakelever J at opposite sides ofthe fulcrum of the brake-lever, and the said band engages the peripheralface of a brake-wheel J preferably secured on the counter-shaft F of theThe ends of a differential gear F. By shifting the slide J rearward thebrake-band J is drawn firmly around the brake-wheel J 5 to brake thedifferential gear, and hence the drive-wheel G, which turns backwarduntil the slide J is moved forward, releasing the brake, which stops thevehicle from going backward.

The auxiliary frame D is preferably constructed for supporting twomotors E, one on each side of the driven wheel G, to give the necessarytraction to the latter.

When it is desired to use the propelling device as a tricycle, (see Fig.5,) then the cross bar 0 of the main frame 0 is uncoupled from the axleA, and the said cross-bar C is then provided at its ends with spindles Kto transform the cross-bar into an axle, and on the said spindles K aremounted Wheels L, traveling on the ground. The steering-bar H in thiscase is shortened, so as to be within convenient reach of the operatorseated on the seat N, carried by the main frame 0.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. The combination with a vehicle,of a main framehaving its rear cross-bar coupled directly to the front axle of thevehicle, an auxiliary frame mounted to turn on the said main frame, adrive-wheel journaled on the said auxiliary frame, a motor mounted onthe auxiliary frame and connected with the said drive-wheel, forrotating the latter, and a steering-bar mounted on the auxiliary frameand extending rearwardly to the vehicle for turning the said auxiliaryframe on the main frame bya person seated in the said vehicle, as setforth.

2. The combination with a vehicle,ofa main frame coupled to the frontaxle of the vehicle, an auxiliary frame mounted to turn on the said mainframe, a drive-wheel journaled on the said auxiliary frame, a motormounted on the auxiliary frame, a differential gearing for connectingthe said motor with the said drive-wheel, a steering-bar mounted to turnin the auxiliary frame and extending to the vehicle for turning the saidauxiliary frame, and a connection between the steering-bar and thediiferential gearing for shifting the said differential gearing, as setforth.

3. In a propelling device for vehicles, the combination with a mainframe, and an auxiliary frame mounted to turn on the main frame, of adrive-Wheel journaled in the auxiliary frame, a motor on the auxiliaryframe, differential gearing for connecting the motor with thedrive-wheel, clutches for the differential gearing, a steering-barmounted in the auxiliary frame to turn and provided with an arm at itsfront end, shifting levers connected with the clutches, and linksconnecting the said levers with the arm on the steering-bar, as setforth.

4. A propelling device for vehicles, comprising a main frame, having across-bar, spindles for removable connection with the ends of the saidcrossbar, wheels on the said spindles, an auxiliary frame mounted toswing horizontally on the front end of the said main frame, adrive-wheel journaled in the said auxiliary frame, and a motor mountedon the auxiliary frame and connected with the said drive-wheel, as setforth.

5. A propelling device for Vehicles, comprising a main frame having across-bar, spindles for removable connection with the ends of the saidcross-bar,.,wheels on the said spindles, an auxiliary frame mounted toswing horizontally on the front end of the said main frame, adrive-wheel journaled-in the said auxiliary frame, a motor mounted onthe auxiliary frame and connected with the said drive-wheel, asaddle onthe said main frame, anda steering-bar on the said auxiliaryframe, asset forth. I

6. Thecombination withavehicle,ofamain frame coupled to the front axleof the vehicle, an auxiliary frame mounted to turn on the said mainframe, a drive-wheel journaled on the said auxiliary frame, a motormounted on the auxiliary frame, a differential gearing for connectingthe said motor with the said drive-wheel, a steering-bar for turning thesaid auxiliary frame and for shifting the said differential gearing, anda brake mechanism for the said differential gearing, having an operatingdevice in the said steeringbar, as set forth.

7. The combination with a vehicle,ofa main frame coupled to the frontaxle of the vehicle, an auxiliary frame mounted to turn on the said mainframe, a drive-wheeljournaled on the said auxiliary frame, a motormounted on the auxiliary frame and connected with the said drive-wheel,for rotating the latter, and a starting and stopping device for themotor, arranged on the said main frame, to be within convenient reach ofa person seated in the vehicle, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JURGEN PETER LANGE.

Witnesses:

THos. A. W. DWYER, MARTHA LANGE.

